Second part of the epilogue (dedicated to Rylew). There's still one to come after this one. For those who are interested in listening to music while reading, here are the two tracks I recommend:

"Once upon a time in Africa" (Madagascar 2: Escape to Africa OST)

"Aladar & Neera" (Dinosaur Ost, by James Newton Howard)

Enjoy your reading!!

A colony of parrot-lizards flew out of the throne-room, shrieking.

"WHAT ON EARTH ARE YOU DOING?!?"

Milo's shrill cry of astonishment, anger and panic echoed in the palace, so much so that many servants who were working nearby stopped what they were doing and looked at each other, intrigued looks on their faces. Soon they smiled or chuckled, stopped what they were doing and pricked up their ears so they could hear what the Queen would reply this time.

"I am getting ready for the hunt," Kida replied matter-of-factly, not paying the slightest attention to her husband's reaction.

"I told her it wasn't a good idea, my King, but she would not listen to me," Magoreshehb interjected, half-amused, half-exasperated.

Milo walked over to where Kida was sitting and, before she could react, grabbed both her hunting mask and spear and handed them over to the Royal Advisor.

"Magoreshehb, will you please take those away and hide them safely until I say otherwise?"

Kida immediately shouted her husband's name, but her protests fell on deaf ears as Magoreshehb had already granted Milo's request and was carrying her hunting items away from her. She could not believe it. Crossing her arms in frustration and disdain, she shot Milo a deadly glare and turned her back on him. She heard him sigh heavily, mumble something that only he could understand, and when he gently put his hand on her bare shoulder, she pushed it away.

"Kida, will you please look at me?," he pleaded, his voice soft once again.

"No."

"Kida, you have to understand that I cannot let you-

"Let me?!?"

Milo took a step back when he saw the way Kida was looking at him. Her eyes were freezing cold, and he gulped, suddenly very intimidated. But he knew he had to stand up to her and took his courage in both hands. Somehow, seeing him rise against the challenge she represented made Kida's heart bounce with pride, but there was no way she was going to show him that.

"In case you don't remember it, Milo James Thatch, I am the Queen of Atlantis and it is I who decide what I should or should not do!"

"Yeah, and in case you have forgotten it too, I am the King and your husband, and that means my opinion weighs as much as yours."

"You're only the King because you married me!"

"I'm sorry, but you're the one who absolutely wanted me to become King as soon as possible."

"I need to have some exercise!"

"Yes, and Sweet explained to you how you could have it without exhausting yourself over it."

"I don't care about what Sweet said! I want to go hunting!"

"I won't let you go, even if that means I've got to tie you up! There's no way I'm going to let you risk your life."

"I am a grown woman; I can take care of myself!"

Milo smiled inwardly. Hearing Kida change subjects meant he was gaining ground. One might as well strike while the iron is hot. He reached out to take her hand, and although she resisted at first, he held it firmly and put it on her swollen belly. She looked down. Almost instantly, she felt movement pour against her palm like warm honey.

"True, but Kida, you are pregnant. You have no right to risk his life. I love you. Both of you. And I'm not going to let you go."

The softness in his voice and the simple words he had spoken were enough to make the last remnants of her resistance vanish into thin air. She smiled, and Milo knew he had won. Looking up again, she lifted her hand to touch his cheek.

"And you worried you wouldn't be a good father."

He chuckled, and then grinned sheepishly. It had indeed taken Kida a while to comfort him when he had eventually confessed to her that he was terrified he wouldn't be equal to the situation. He had argued that, since he had grown up without his own father, he had no clue how to deal with children. Kida had laughed disarmingly, and then had reminded him how much the young Atlanteans loved him. She had also added Thaddeus Thatch had done a very good work with his grandson's education. Which meant that Milo would more than probably live up to his example.

"You will be the most wonderful father ever." She assured him once again.

"We'll see. Now, will you please be reasonable and carry Sweet's instructions to the letter?"

"I hate it when I have to obey someone else's orders."

"I know. But do I have your word you will do as he says?"

Kida sighed.

"Yes. I promise." She reluctantly murmured.

"Good."

He grinned and kissed her softly on her cheek, his lips momentarily hiding the blue markings on her face.

"Can I have my hunting mask and spear, now?," she asked him, hope flickering through her voice.

Milo's eyes widened, and he shook his head.

"No."

"But I gave you my word! The least you could do is trust me!"

"Well…Once bitten, twice shy."

She stared at him in shock, and he winked at her, and then walked away, laughing like a sun caught in the pouring rain, watching over the fragile rainbow of emotions.

"Milo!"

He stopped and whirled round to look at her.

"I swear, Milo, you're going to pay for this!"

Kida woke up in the middle of the night. Waiting patiently until her eyes adjusted themselves to the room's dim light, she gazed out of the window and observed the numerous fireflies which seemed to dance graciously in the air. Suddenly, she frowned, feeling like something extremely important was missing. Her first reaction was to look up at the sky, but the Heart of Atlantis was still floating there. She turned her head on her pillow and understood what was disturbing her. It was the absence of Milo's arms around her. And the reason for that was simple: she had spread herself so much on their bed that the poor Milo, who had probably not wanted to bother her, was sleeping on its edge, and it was a miracle that he had not fallen on the ground yet. Sweet, affectionate Milo. But she had made a promise.

Smiling mischievously, Kida snuggled close to him, and as a consequence immediately made him loose his fragile balance.

The loud 'thund' sound that followed was enough for the Queen to burst out laughing, mercilessly.

"What- What happened?" a completely bewildered Milo heard himself asking.

It took him a while to understand what Kida was laughing at. When she was eventually able to calm herself down again, she apologized briefly while he sat on the edge of the bed. Milo smiled. It was maybe a cliché, but to him it really did seem like Kida's pregnancy made her glow with happiness. He sighed, massaged his neck and tried to lie down in bed again, but Kida prevented him from doing so. He looked at her inquisitively.

"Could you go and fetch me a bit of Cookie's bacon grease, please?"

Milo almost fell on the ground again.

"What??? Cookie's…?"

"Bacon grease, yes."

Milo couldn't stop the look of disgust that crossed his face.

"Since when do you want to eat that?," he asked, still taken aback.

"Since I'm pregnant, maybe?"

"But you hate even the smell of it. You kept telling me you could not bear it."

"Milo, I can't explain it. I know I just want some of it."

"…"

"I am not asking you to eat it with me."

"Great. At this hour of the night?"

"Yes, please."

Milo sighed, got up and dressed himself. Just when he was about to leave, a mechanism was turned on in his brain and he stopped, turning round on the bedroom's threshold.

"This is all about your hunting gear again, isn't it?"

She smiled strangely.

"Prove it." She replied, teasing him.

"You know I can't."

"Exactly. Now, Milo, are you going to make your pregnant wife wait for another century before you get her what she asked for? You're supposed to wait on my hand and foot!"

"That doesn't mean you have to abuse of it!"

And it was to the sound of Kida's melodious laughter that Milo bravely went away to find Cookie in the middle of the night. The Queen could have sworn she heard him say something that sounded like "God, spare me from pregnant women!"

When he came back, bacon grease trickling on his forearms, Milo was greeted by the sight of his fast asleep wife and a piece of parchment, covered with Kida's handwriting, on his pillow. He picked it up and read it quickly.

"I am not hungry anymore. You can have my share. There's no need to thank me. Don't forget to have a bath before you go to sleep again. Don't try to fool me! I love you."

And although he cursed her for a couple of seconds, Milo couldn't help but grin widely. As if he would give her mask and spear back so easily! Busy months really did lie ahead of him.